Bhumjaithai Party pours cold water on ‘outsider PMs’
Former Democrat Party leader Chuan Leekpai has urged voters to resist vote-buyers and political schemers responsible for running democracy into the ground.
In Phitsanulok, where he was canvassing for Democrat MP candidates yesterday, the former House speaker said wheeler-dealers have triggered political crises after they bought or tried to buy every vote in their path.
They are also known to have controlled some members of parliament and kept them from opening House sessions to avoid being monitored. “The law is the law. The justice system must be straightened out. We need a system that delivers fairness and justice to people,” Mr Chuan said.
During a past Democrat-led government, a project was undertaken where young people were educated about anti-corruption values.
Mr Chuan also questioned the practicality of a scheme advocated by some parties promising to raise the pension to between 3,000-8,000 baht a month. He doubted there was enough money in the budget to realise the pension programme which began when he was prime minister.
Mr Chuan served two terms as prime minister, from Sept 1992-July 1995 and from Nov 1997-Feb 2001.
Winner’s right
The Bhumjaithai Party insists the party which wins the most MP seats in the May 14 election must be given the right to form government first.
But if it fails to cobble together sufficient support in parliament to establish a government, other parties will have a shot at leading the new administration, said Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul.
Bhumjaithai won 51 House seats in the 2019 election but has since gained at least 10 more seats through defections. The party is likely to perform strongly in the upcoming poll.
Mr Anutin, the party’s sole prime ministerial candidate, said Bhumjaithai has not entered into any pre-election talks to form a government with any party. The party would not consider the issue until the results were in.
“Our party supports the biggest party emerging from the poll to have a go at putting together a government first and we wish them every success,” he said.
However, Bhumjaithai does not agree with roping in someone who is not a prime ministerial candidate to assume the premiership, even though this is permissible by law.
Such an “outsider” prime minister would be devoid of attachment to the parliamentary system and snub the people’s mandate.
His remark came as some observers have predicted the current coalition line-up led by the Palang Pracharath Party with Bhumjaithai as a major player might return to power after the election.
Clean sweep
The United Thai Nation (UTN) Party expects it will take Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani by storm, hoping to score a clean sweep in the three major southern provinces.
The party is fast gaining ground in the provinces where Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has a comfortable lead over leaders of rival parties, according to Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the Prime Minister’s Office Minister and chief strategist of the UTN’s southern constituencies.
Gen Prayut is chief strategist of the UTN and its No.1 prime ministerial candidate.
Mr Thanakorn said Gen Prayut has enjoyed travelling up and down the country canvassing for votes. Last week, he toured Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok and Phrae where he received a warm welcome.
Later this week, he is heading South to Satun, Phatthalung and Songkhla. He will stop on this leg in Phatthalung before spending the night in Hat Yai district of Songkhla where he will speak at a campaign rally and later visit Satun.
The party fares strongly in the South where it is confident it will sweep through Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani, Mr Thanakorn said.
Gen Prayut has preferred to hit the campaign trail and meet people in person. In between, he also delivers speeches.
Complaints up
The Election Commission (EC) is working with police to prosecute election law-breakers with around 300 complaints lodged so far about campaign poster vandalism.
EC deputy secretary-general Chanin Noilek said election officials were looking out for election violators. Apart from the complaints concerning campaign poster vandalism, a growing number of people have been accused of conducting fraudulent campaigning and using election canvassing vehicles for the wrong purpose.
Election offices were gathering complaints to be sent to the EC in Bangkok for further examination.
Suspects in 50 of the 300 poster vandalism complaints have been arrested on charges of destroying private belongings or theft. Mr Chanin said provincial election offices also were coordinating with local police to gather intelligence in provinces where close contests could see violence break out.